Information about Peanut Allergy
12:06 PM
Peanuts
are among the most common allergy-causing foods, and they often find their way
into things you wouldn't imagine. Take chili, for example: It may be thickened
with ground peanuts.
Peanuts
aren't actually a true nut; they're a legume (in the same family as peas and
lentils). But the proteins in peanuts are similar in structure to those in tree
nuts. For this reason, people who are allergic to peanuts can also be allergic
to tree nuts, such as almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias,
pistachios, pecans, and cashews.
What Happens With a Nut or
Peanut Allergy?
An allergic reaction
happens when someone's immune system mistakenly believes that something
harmless, such as a tree nut or peanut, is actually harmful. The immune system
responds by creating specific antibodies to proteins in that food. One of these
is histamine (pronounced: hiss-tuh-meen). The release of histamine can affect
a person's respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and cardiovascular
system, causing allergy symptoms like wheezing, stomachache, vomiting, itchy
hives, and swelling.
Reactions
to foods, like peanuts and tree nuts, can be different. It all depends on the
person — and sometimes the same person can react differently at different
times. Some reactions can be very mild and involve only one system of the body,
like hives on the skin. Other reactions can be more severe and involve more
than one part of the body. Most reactions last less than a day and affect any
of these four body systems:
1.
Skin. Skin reactions are the most common type of food allergy reactions.
They can take the form of itchy, red, bumpy rashes (hives), eczema, or redness
and swelling around the mouth or face.
2.
Gastrointestinal system. Symptoms can take the form of belly cramps, nausea, vomiting, or
diarrhea.
3.
Respiratory system. Symptoms can range from a runny or stuffy nose, itchy, watery
eyes, and sneezing to the triggering of asthma with coughing and wheezing.
4.
Cardiovascular system. A person may feel lightheaded or faint and lose consciousness.
In really bad cases, tree
nut and peanut allergies can cause a condition called anaphylaxis (pronounced: ah-nuh-fuh-lak-sus). Anaphylaxis is a sudden, potentially life-threatening
reaction that, in addition to the symptoms mentioned above, can make someone's
airways swell and blood pressure drop. As a result, the person may have trouble
breathing and could lose consciousness.
Living With Peanut or Tree Nut Allergy
If allergy testing shows that someone has a
peanut or tree nut allergy, a doctor will provide guidelines on what to do. The
only real way to treat a nut allergy is to avoid peanuts and tree nuts.
Avoiding nuts means more than just not eating them. It also means not eating
any foods that might contain tree nuts or peanuts as ingredients. The best way
to be sure a food is nut free is to read the
food label. Manufacturers of foods sold in the United States have to state
on their labels whether foods contain peanuts or tree nuts. Check the
ingredients list first. After checking the ingredients list, look on the label
for phrases like these:
·
"may contain nuts"
·
"produced on shared equipment with nuts or peanuts"
·
"produced in a facility that also processes nuts"
People who are allergic to
nuts also have to avoid foods with these statements on the label. Although
these foods might not use nut ingredients, the warnings are there to let people
know the food may contain
traces of nuts. That can happen through something called
"cross-contamination," when nuts get into a food product because it
is made or served in a place that uses nuts in other foods.
Some of
the highest-risk foods for people with peanut or tree nut allergy include:
·
Cookies and baked goods. Even if baked goods don't contain nut ingredients, it is possible
that they came into contact with peanut or tree nuts through
cross-contamination. Unless you know exactly what went into a food and where it
was made, it's safest to avoid store-bought or bakery cookies and other baked
goods.
·
Candy. Candies made by small bakeries or manufacturers (or homemade
candies) may contain nuts as a hidden ingredient. The safest plan is to eat
only candies made by major manufacturers whose labels show they are safe.
·
Ice cream. Unfortunately, cross-contamination is common in ice cream parlors
because of shared scoops. It's also a possibility in soft-serve ice cream,
custard, or yogurt places because the same dispensing machine is often used for
lots of different flavors. Instead, do as you would for candy: Buy tubs of ice
cream at the supermarket and be sure they're made by a large manufacturer and
the labels indicate they're safe.
·
Asian, African, and other
cuisine. African
and Asian (especially Thai and Indian) foods often contain peanuts or tree
nuts. Mexican and Mediterranean foods may also use nuts, so the risk of
cross-contamination is high with these foods.
·
Sauces. Many cooks use peanuts or peanut butter to thicken chili and other
sauces.
Always
proceed with caution even if you are used to eating a particular food. Even if
you've eaten a food in the past, manufacturers sometimes change their processes
— for example, switching suppliers to a company that uses shared equipment. And
two foods that seem the same might also have differences in their
manufacturing.
Here are
some other precautions you can take:
·
Be on the watch for cross-contamination that can happen on kitchen
surfaces and utensils — everything from knives and cutting boards to the
toaster. Make sure the knife another family member used to make peanut butter
sandwiches is not used to butter your bread and that nut breads are not toasted
in the same toaster you use. You may decide to make your home entirely
nut-free.
·
Avoid cooked foods you didn't make yourself — anything with an
unknown list of ingredients.
·
Tell everyone who handles the food you eat, from relatives to
restaurant wait-staff, that you have a nut allergy. If the manager or owner of
a restaurant is uncomfortable about your request for peanut- or nut-free food
preparation, don't eat there.
·
Make school lunches and snacks at home where you can control the
preparation.
·
Be sure your school knows about your allergy and has an action
plan in place for you.
·
Keep rescue medications (such as epinephrine) accessible at all
times — not in your locker, but in a pocket, purse, or book bag that's with
you. Seconds count during an episode of anaphylaxis.
Living
with allergies can seem hard at times. But as more and more people are
diagnosed with food allergies, businesses and individuals are increasingly
aware of the risks people with food allergies face.
If friends you're visiting or eating lunch with don't know about
your allergy, tell them in plenty of time to make some simple preparations
(such as not sharing your drink after eating that peanut butter sandwich!).
Chances are, they'll understand. After all, as your friends they'd no doubt
hope for the same from you!
Excerpts
taken from “Nut and Peanut Allergy” reviewed by Magee Defelice, MD, and
Sheelagh M. Stewart, RN, MPH. Red the full article at http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/nut_allergy.html#
Best
Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer
nutrition information for teens, parents, and educators that emphasizes the
importance of healthy eating for teens.
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